


black tea and orange rind

by imaginedecember



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, Tea shop AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-22
Updated: 2014-10-22
Packaged: 2018-02-22 05:53:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2496914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginedecember/pseuds/imaginedecember
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how, then, did six men get together all because of one tea shop at the end of the street?</p>
            </blockquote>





	black tea and orange rind

**Author's Note:**

> Reason for rating: This is not explicitly sexual in any way but there is mature language. It takes place within Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics and there is some mature language regarding their individual statuses. However, it mostly centers on their individual scents and their effects, specifically on their anatomy. If there needs to be more warnings, message me and I will add them.

It was not exactly easy corralling six men into working at a tea shop but they literally smelled like tea candles so no other place would honestly fit them. 

The Rind and Grind was a cozy place on the corner, perfectly situated next to a bakery and a coffee place was not too far. It was a soothing street to just stand on and take everything in. 

Geoff had cherished the little slice of heaven as soon as he had stumbled upon it accidentally. His friend, Griffon, was the owner of the bakery and she was absolute shit at directions and keeping time but thankfully, she had done something right when she chose where to have her place. It had baffled Geoff for enough minutes to get Griffon worrying and she had walked out of her bakery, her hair speckled with flour and her hands caked with what appeared to be powdered sugar. 

She had laughed at Geoff, covering her mouth with her hand. Walking over to him, she crossed her arms across her chest and nodded towards the recently opened brick tea shop not too far from her own piece of home. 

“You know if you love this street so much and certainly not for me, then I suggest getting your ass into that tea shop. They really need people and no offense, Geoff, but you already reek like tea.”

And it was far too true.

Geoff smelled like he had bathed in lemon ginger tea and had spent his nights hanging by bonfires and running through the woods. Down to earth. So tranquil, it made everyone who caught a whiff of it instantly sleepy and injected with peace. 

Slinging his tattooed arms around the beta’s shoulders, he pulled her into his chest and smothered her with a hug. She was too perfect sometimes. 

“You know just what I need.” Planting a sticky kiss on her cheek, he smiled widely. “And of course I come for you, Griff. No one can make desserts like you can.”

Griffon blushed, pushing Geoff off of her and beckoning him down the street with one flick of the wrist.

“Don’t boost my ego, Geoff. Now, hurry before you loose your chance!”

***

Geoff did not know it when he had gotten the call about the interview that it would begin the rest of his life. 

The man was a calm, sweet as crème beta with an impressive beard and a shitty knack at shooter games. And, yes, they did get into the topic of video games during the interview. They were on the topic of dreams and video games were a part of that, at least for Geoff. There was something about them that no matter how shitty you were at them, you still had fun with them. 

His name was Jack and if Geoff had been stumbling out of the tea shop, it was just because he had gotten the job and not certainly because Jack was a sweetheart but his touch was even sweeter and his laugh was a rumble and damn it he was warmer than the fucking tea in the kettle. 

Yeah, a perfect beginning. 

But then he was hanging out at Griffon’s shop on his quick fifteen minute break, chatting her up and ranting to her about Jack and his too lovely beard and fuck that Tetris tattoo, man, when a certain group of boys filtered into the shop. 

It was not how loud they were that had alerted Geoff of their presence.

No, it was their scents. 

The happiness that bubbled from the three boys was enough to send their scents skyrocketing and Geoff would have thought that spending his time in a tea shop would have made him used to the scent of various teas. 

But, really, nothing could have compared to these boys. 

The one with glasses, dark hair, gamer joke t-shirts and a choppy but endearing laugh seemed to have been wrapped in the warm embrace of chai tea. He was all vanilla, the sugary addition enlightening the spices engrained beneath.

The boy with the British accent clinging to both boys and squawking various, odd phrases looked like he had rolled in a patch of flowers, not only because his hair was wild but because he smelled like pressed chamomile flowers. He could even almost detect an apple flavor to it underneath the sweetness. It sunk deep in Geoff’s gut, settling him down and spinning him into a spiral at the same time. His eyes almost fluttered shut at the first inhale. 

And the last boy, the one with ginger curls, a gorgeous cupids bow and, fuck, more video game tattoos, was engrained with peppermint with a splash of cinnamon. Warm and cool. It stuck in his throat, making him think clearer and it seemed like a fog had lifted from him. 

Griffon’s giggling snapped him out of his trance. Geoff turned to her, shaking his head and frowning deeply at his own stupidity.

Because there was his sweet beta boss and three fucking omegas that smelled like they made and breathed tea. He was screwed.

“Does Jack need any more help? Maybe you could recruit them?” Griffon suggested. When Geoff growled at her, she threw her hands up in surrender. 

“Yeah, an alpha corralling three omegas for a so called job at a wondrous tea shop. That doesn’t make me sound like a cradle robber or an omega kidnapper at all.”

Griffon sighed as she kneaded dough with her hands in the back of the shop. Geoff was standing between the counter and behind it, keeping his ears trained on her and his eyes just left of the boys so he could pick them up in his peripheral but not look like a complete stalker. He didn’t want to full on stare at them with shitty hearts in his eyes.

But then there was movement and Geoff nearly had a hear attack right there when he caught spices and vanilla. 

Brown eyes turned to him, one eyebrow raised and he realized that Geoff sort of looked like an employee there. He still had his apron on from the tea shop and it was already stained with water and some dribbles of random teas. 

“Need to order, kid?” Geoff questioned as he walked behind the counter and up to the register. The boy tilted his head to the side before a smile bloomed on his cheeks. Fuck. It was a killer. 

“Yeah, but uh, first off, you look like you should be working in some shady ass downtown shop. What’re you doing here?”

Chuckling, Geoff rested his elbows on the natural wood counter, seared with Griffon’s gorgeous chainsaw marks, and rested his chin in the palm of his hands. 

The boy leaned over the counter as well, loving the way Geoff seemed to gulp at the close proximity. Sometimes it was too easy. So long as the man wasn’t some asshole alpha who only liked slick and dick. He hoped that wasn’t the case but the man was enveloped with everything of the earth. It was lemon ginger if he had to guess. And, yeah, he drank it on occasion, especially when his friend practically shoved it into his system whenever he felt the inkling of a cold. 

“Could ask the same for you and your gang there.” Geoff pointed to the interesting squabble occurring between the boy’s friends. The one with the curls had the other in a headlock and it appeared to be a fruitless battle. Geoff’s expression fell, however, when he saw the boy turn his head but not enough to not miss the way he watched them with something akin to adoration and fondness in his eyes. Shit. Of course the omegas were close with one another. In this day and age, it seemed to be the safest option. Geoff really hated alphas sometimes, despite himself being what he called the better side of the status. 

“Eh, we like sweets. Well, Gavin does. Michael and I just deal with it,” the boy finally said. Raising an eyebrow, Geoff decided to be bold. If he couldn’t get them as lovers (fuck or as mates), then he would take friendship. 

“So, I got your name. What’s yours?” The kid turned his head back to face Geoff, a smirk lighting up his features. And, yeah, Geoff should have known that the omegas were smart. They probably knew all the signs of an enthralled alpha. He hoped he wasn’t seen as an asshole to them. 

“Ray.” 

The kind answer was enough for Geoff to exhale out a sharp breath and relax. 

“So, what’ll it be, kid?”

***

If Jack was the beginning, the three omegas were the middle. 

He had spent enough time with the omegas to get to know all of them right down to their quirks and little oddities. The best part was that they were all now working at the tea shop with different shifts and days throughout the week. It was mainly because neither Jack nor Geoff trusted them to work together and actually get shit done or not to burn the building down.

Michael worked the morning shift. He was up by six at the latest and Geoff just thanked him profusely for helping him with opening the shop. Mornings were always the hardest. Since he was with Michael in the morning, he had made sure that when the younger boy went to get coffee at the shop down the street before his shift that he got something to eat too. The kid was stupid and he chugged red bull like it was his goddamn career. Lord knows what would happen if he didn’t have an alpha trailing after him twenty four seven, ready to catch him when he fell from raging his heart too hard. 

There were not many breaks in the mornings but after Michael’s shift, Geoff would always find time to throw the kid a one liner from a television show that they had begun watching at the same time or had recommended to each other. Michael’s laugh would lovingly fill up the air (and Geoff’s heart) and it’d carry Geoff throughout the day. And if he texted Michael some other things and if he got quips right back that made him laugh even harder, well, then that was just a perk of knowing Michael Jones. 

Gavin had the early and mid afternoon shift. Mornings were far too early and evenings were too late. He’d rather be nursing a beer or playing games by the time the sun set. For him, Geoff made sure every afternoon when Gavin got a sandwich at Griffon’s bakery, sandwiches that she had made herself and were now selling alongside her too perfect desserts, that he got a swift knock on the head to set him straight and a stern eye. He may not have done anything that day but he will. 

And sometimes during the afternoon, Geoff would have to give the kid a break just so he could take his bubbling self out on something. Usually, Geoff would catch him sneaking in his camera into the shop (despite how expensive it was and goddamn it, Gavin, is that even yours or did you steal it?). Sometimes, Gavin just took his excitement out on Geoff and clung to him like an eel. It was good for the charm of the business, though, and it brought a certain light to the shop that the blistering sun wouldn’t dare compare to. 

Ray took over for the night shift. Every evening when Ray wondered into the tea shop to start his shift, Geoff grabbed his hands and massaged his knuckles. Too much gaming. He’d also give him a thirty-minute break - don’t tell Jack - and give him a meal that he made the night before. A true meal that was something else other than frozen pizzas and cereal. Ray was lucky for Geoff or he’d die from preservatives and cheap, not-like-food. 

Over break, they’d also speak about the achievements Ray was gunning for and whatever else they came up with. The kid’s sharp, one line humor was enough to light up the room far brighter than any moon. And if the break went longer than thirty minutes, well, there weren’t that many evening customers anyway.

But there was an ending to this masterpiece.

Ryan. 

The first moment he saw him made Geoff all too weary. He was standing outside of Griffon’s shop with Griffon and three cats. The cats were pawing at the man’s jeans, hooking their claws into the frayed stitches and tugging. He picked one up, frowning at the lack of love from the creature despite its need for attention. Cats. They were the epitome of confusion.

“Griff?” 

Griffon practically beamed as Geoff walked towards her. But there was a glint in her eyes that told him a far bigger story. If Geoff could, he would have stared at the stranger a little longer but he was afraid that if he did, he would have fainted. He already had a fucking fantastic view from his peripheral. 

“Geoff, this is Ryan. I had brought my cats here real quick before dropping them off at home. He had come inside and they immediately attached to him. It’s amazing.”

Amazing. Sure. 

Geoff’s foot tapped against the pavement as he thought of the four boys he was already entranced with and the fact that did not need another man to fawn over. 

But he had made the mistake of raising his head when he heard Ryan let out a high pitched giggle. 

“I just don’t get you, cats,” he said exasperatedly. That fucking voice sent shivers straight to Geoff’s dick and he swore that his knot could pop with just one word from the fucking man.

Then he finally let himself let go and inhale. 

Dear god.

Spearmint. 

He was practically buried in its suffocating melody of tranquility. He almost wiped at his mouth to catch the drool that would be no doubt dripping rivers down his chin. Griffon watched him with a smirk. Grabbing one of her kittens that were meowing profusely at her, she hugged the sweet ball of fluff close to her chest and headed for the front door of her shop.

“Well, I have to get these little guys home. Ryan, can you hand me the one you have?” 

“Fucking gladly. I think it was two seconds away from lasering me to death.”

And it was odd that when Ryan said laser, Geoff almost went weak in the knees. It wasn’t even like he was saying his fucking middle name. He was swimming far too close to oxygen sparse waters. 

Then baby blues shined a beacon on his person and fuck, Geoff wanted to tuck tail and run. The man smiled as took in Geoff’s attire.

“You work here, then?” the man assumed. 

Ryan was fucking speaking to him. Shit, what did he do? Where were all of those alpha tricks he had that would leave an omega gushing? Right, this wasn’t an omega. Ryan was pure, virile alpha. His sure stance and terrifyingly calm exterior yet charming smile and wit was enough of a trick for him. All he had to do was say one fucking word and he was sure he had omegas dripping for him. Pour souls. Geoff felt like he was one of them. 

Running a hand through his hair, Geoff heaved a great breath and said the greatest, manliest thing he ever said. “No, I work at the tea shop down there.” Ryan’s somehow warm blue eyes followed the line of Geoff’s fingers, nodding when he finally saw the outline of the shop. 

“Geoff, you didn’t remind me to get a banana. I’m starving.” 

Goddamn Michael Jones and his impeccable timing. 

Geoff spun on his heel, taking in the disheveled look of the boy and his alpha instincts took a sharp stab. Fuck. He was loosing control here. Michael frowned even further when Geoff’s down to earth scent turned almost muddy and gritty. Peeking behind the older man’s trembling form, he couldn’t help the tiny gasp that escaped his lips at the smiling form of Ryan. 

“Hello,” Ryan waved. All charm. Fuck. He could entice the cover off of a fucking phone book. Michael was feeling the exact same thing as Geoff. The two of them were standing there, frozen, until Geoff decided to man up a bit. He had crushes before. He could deal with this. 

“Right, food. I brought you a banana, an apple in case you didn’t want that, a water and some potatoes I made this morning.” Handing over the paper bag that Geoff was clutching pathetically to his chest, he smiled, finally, when Michael took it and seemed to snap his gaze back to Geoff. 

“Thanks, Geoff.” A sweet smile paired with cooling peppermint and a crackle of cinnamon. How was Geoff still alive?

Turning around, Geoff decided to introduce the man who seemed to have them both captured.

“This is Ryan, by the way.” Ryan was still all happiness as he shoved his sunglasses back over his eyes. The sun was coming in stronger now and he’d need them more on his walk home. 

Michael stepped a little closer to Geoff and he felt strangely proud that he was being used as a test to see if Ryan was one of those asshole alphas or not. When Geoff’s lemon ginger scent returned full blast and there was no growls or alpha stance, Michael deemed Ryan a friend. He was sure that Jack, Ray and Gavin would absolutely love him too.

“Do you both work at that tea shop? You both smell like you live there,” Ryan questioned. 

“Yes, me and this brat and his two other friends work there. We’re good with the boss too. Why, need a job?” 

Ryan almost laughed at the alpha like offer. Geoff was one who watched over everyone. It felt good to feel like he was a part of something. He was usually a lone wolf of sorts but these two boys and their friends could be the best thing to happen to him. It was a sentiment shared between them all. 

“Yeah, if you got room.” Ryan shrugged, appearing as if it did not really matter but Geoff caught the sag of his shoulders and the barely minuscule tilt of his neck. It was like he was baring his neck, letting Geoff know he was top alpha. It stroked his ego and Ryan would have to stop that before he exploded with pride. He was coming up with a great pack here. Romantic or not, he was happier than the damn emotion itself. 

“We only have room for six members. Seems like you’re the special sixth.” Michael chuckled beside him. The hint at the romantic possibilities between them all was far too strong. But thank god it wasn’t one of mockery. Geoff wrapped an arm around Michael’s shoulders, pulling him into his chest. He tried not to simper as the boy snuggled into his chest, pressing his nose along the collar of his worn t-shirt.

“I’ll be glad to be a part of it.” And the sweet rush of sincerity in his voice almost made Geoff kiss him. But he’d save that for when he was sure that him and his boys were in this together. As one. 

Walking down the road together towards the tea shop, they all looked forward to their possible futures. 

And, really, who knew that a tea shop of all things would mend and sew bonds together, put them in a packet and let them sink and steep to create an enticing blend all their own. 


End file.
